By Ambassador Rahul Chhabra
India has been widely and willingly sharing with other countries of the Global South its developmental experiences and technical expertise, despite its own massive resource constraints. This spirit of” VasudhaivaKutumbakam” is explained in the words of Gandhiji, who said, “I do want to think in terms of the whole world. My patriotism includes the good of mankind in general. Therefore, my service to India includes the service of humanity.”
Background
Launched in 1964, one of the oldest institutionalised arrangements for international capacity building, The Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme is Government of India’s leading capacity building platform. More than 2,00,000 officials from over 160 countries have benefitted. This programme has gradually expanded to now include several instruments.
Instruments
Few examples of iconic projects under grant-in-aid are Friendship Dam and Parliament Building (Afghanistan), ENT Hospital, Metro Express Project and Supreme Court Building (Mauritius), Jaffna Cultural Center (Sri Lanka).
Currently under implementation are US $ 4 billion covering sectors such as infrastructure, hydroelectricity, power transmission, agriculture, education, health, industry in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Maldives, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and Seychelles. Projects in sectors such as ICT, SME and archaeological conservation have been undertaken in South East Asia, Central Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Concessional Lines of Credit (LoC) announced are over US $ 22 bn during the last 10 years. In total, over 300 LoCs worth over US $ 30 billion have been extended to 65 countries. 322 LoC projects have been completed (277 projects are under implementation) in critical infrastructure sectors such as power generation and distribution; agriculture and irrigation; transport connectivity through railways, roads and ports; manufacturing industries, healthcare, education and capacity building.
Over US $ 16 billion have been extended to Asian countries, with the largest commitments in the immediate neighbourhood. In addition to LoCs that have been extended in new sectors like Defence and Solar energy, Iconic infrastructure projects completed include Parliament Building (Gambia), Presidential Palace (Ghana), Kosi Power Project ( providing ⅓ rd of Sudan’s power), Nyabarongo Project (providing ¼ th of Rwanda’s power), Upper Ruvu Treatment Plant ( clean drinking water to more than 2 million in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania), first Oil Refinery (Mongolia), first Cement plant (Djibouti), first Milk Processing plant (Mauritania), first Sugar factory (Ghana).
Capacity Building involving scholarships to over 1,40,000 over the last 10 years. Countries from Asia, Africa, East Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean as well as Pacific & Small Island countries have benefitted. Approximately 15,000 slots (including defence training) offered in nearly 400 courses in around 100 institutions in areas as diverse as Engineering & Technology; Government Functions; Environment & Climate change; Agriculture; Banking, Finance, Accounts & Audit; English Language; Health & Yoga; Petroleum; ICT; Journalism; Management & Leadership; Power, Renewable & Alternate Energy, including Solar; Rural Development; and Women Empowerment. Recent modalities include e-ITEC (gained tremendous popularity during the pandemic), ITEC-onsite and ITEC executive.
Technical Assistance including training on-site abroad, deputation of Indian experts, establishment of centres of excellence in IT and vocational training centres.
Fields Impacted
Depending on the priorities of the recipient countries, they cover an extensive range across the economy and society, including, Commerce; Culture; Energy; Engineering; Health; Housing; IT; Infrastructure; Sports; Science; Disaster relief and humanitarian assistance; Restoration and preservation of cultural and heritage assets.
Case Study: Capacity Building Programme for Maldivian Civil Servants
Despite current frictions, Maldives has sought renewal of the 2019 MoU to train 1000 bureaucrats in India, over the next 5 years. The final 30th training programme, with 40 Maldivian Civil servants visiting India this month will bring the total to 1,005 officials.
The above included customised training programmes for officials from the Anti-Corruption Commission & Information Commission. The programme encompasses sharing of Indian learning from its schemes & projects such as e-governance, digital India, universalisation of public services, approaches to sustainable development goals, public grievance redressal mechanism and disaster management with special reference to coastal regions.
The frosty relationship has not deterred the Maldivian government from seeking a renewal on the same terms & conditions. Over 2,200 in-person trainings have been held since 2019.
Benefits
Countries of the Global South have seen their populations skilled & trained. Their physical infrastructure has been upgraded, including in several cases, their manufacturing capacities. Many of them were bailed out during natural disasters. The developmental objectives of beneficiary countries have been advanced to a large extent. All of the above has been at virtually minimal cost with appropriate technologies, in a sustainable manner.
Indian corporates have been able to showcase their capabilities, technical prowess and products; thus, enabling them to enter hitherto virgin markets. Local populations have been exposed to India, during their training visits, or/and from the grants/Lines of Credit availed.
LoCs have a special focus on regional connectivity initiatives in the neighbourhood as these can act as force multipliers to accelerate regional growth and development, promote people-to-people contact, and encourage trade and commerce.
Conclusion
India’s strategy is best summed up in the words of PM Modi in his address to the Ugandan Parliament (July 2018); “Our development partnership will be guided by your priorities. It will be on terms that will be comfortable for you, that will liberate your potential and not constrain your future. We will build as much local capacity and create as many local opportunities as possible”.
As India’s geopolitical and geoeconomic heft rises, this little-known plank of its foreign policy will gain further importance; it will be of interest to observe how strategically India is able to manoeuvre and utilise this dimension of its soft and hard power.
Author is Former Secretary (Economic Relations), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India.
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